St. Joseph rolls LaSalle in Northeast Christmas Classic

Mike Cardillo

Updated 12:15 pm, Saturday, December 29, 2012

St. Joseph's #11 Quincy McKnight ascends to the basket as he blows past LaSalle's #31 Vuyi Beschta, during the Northeast Christmas Classic basketball tournament at Webster bank Arena in Bridgeport, Conn. on Frday December 28, 2012.

Photo: Christian Abraham

St. Joseph's #11 Quincy McKnight ascends to the basket as he blows...

Pressure from a quartet of St. Jospeh players causes LaSalle Academy's #21 Raheem James looses control of the ball, during the Northeast Christmas Classic basketball tournament at Webster bank Arena in Bridgeport, Conn. on Frday December 28, 2012.

Photo: Christian Abraham

Pressure from a quartet of St. Jospeh players causes LaSalle...

St. Jospeh's #42 Rich Kelly tries to hold onto the ball as LaSalle Academy's #21 Raheem James tries to gain control, during the Northeast Christmas Classic basketball tournament at Webster bank Arena in Bridgeport, Conn. on Frday December 28, 2012.

As an all-FCIAC receiver at St. Joseph, he piled up 14 touchdowns to go along with an 18.9 yards-per-catch average this fall. Now the senior is applying some of his route-running skills to the basketball hardwood, getting behind the opposing defense for fastbreak layups.

Friday, in the second night of the Northeast Christmas Classic, Pelletier and junior Erick Langston were in synch like an all-league quarterback and receiver, making LaSalle Academy pay early and often in St. Joseph's easy 76-57 victory at Webster Bank Arena.

"Coach (Chris Watts) in the first practice said, `Jake, you're going to run a post route on pretty much every play,'" said Pelletier, who finished with 18 points and five steals.

And that's just what he did most of the night on his way to a place on the all-tournament team.

Langston joined Pelletier on the all-tournament team, while Cadets' junior Quincy McKnight earned MVP honors following his game-high 25 points.

Langston led the Cadets with six assists, however went scoreless Friday. When his name was called to receive his plaque afterward he shrugged his shoulders in apparent disbelief.

"It goes to show, if you think about the team first and do things that help the team win, good things will come your way," Watts said. "He couldn't believe he got it. It's a testament to him playing team ball."

St. Joseph's hard-nosed approach to defense made sure this one was never in doubt.

The Cadets (6-0) forced 16 Cardinals' turnovers in the first half, leading 31-9 midway through the second quarter. When St. Joseph didn't steal the ball near midcout, Langston was firing long outlet passes to an unguarded Pelletier on the other end for an easy two points.

"They beat us with it without a doubt," LaSalle coach Albert Barbosa said. "In the first half they must've had 16 points on uncontested layups."

The second half was mostly a formality, highlighted by a smooth alley-oop dunk by McKnight, set up on a pass by Jonathan Dzurenda in the third quarter.

"That's what we're looking for, defense first," said McKnight, who scored 48 points in the tournament. "Defense turns into offense."

The Cadets' intense, unrelenting defense could run them into some trouble as the FCIAC schedule hits full swing in January. Their aggressiveness Friday night resulted in the Cardinals scoring more points from the foul line -- 29 -- than the field.

Still Watts' first point of emphasis is defense, like all St. Joseph teams. Although the Cadets do lack size this season, they make up for it with quickness which allows them to force turnovers and push the tempo for 32 minutes.

"We can play four, five guys out there running wild," Watts said. "We want to pressure them to the point they're not comfortable. I don't want them to be comfortable at all. The minute that they're comfortable, that's when I'm going to get on (my team)."

Trinity Catholic defeated Monsignor Farrell 72-44 in the first game Friday. Both Trinity and St. Joseph finished the Classic 2-0.